Why do people move to Thailand and Complain How Much Things Cost?

[KhunLA]

16 hours ago, spidermike007 said:

I was told, as you say, that installing plate glass is far more specialized, than installing typical windows.

Yes it is, and choose your contractor wisely.  Especially with the high winds in Thailand.  We had full length & half wall plate (9mm) glass installed.  Excellent job by our contractor.

[Mac Mickmanus]

3 hours ago, BritManToo said:

I had NO vaccinations when I came to Thailand.

14 years later, I've caught nothing.

Covid, don't forget you caught Covid ?

You caught it from some Chinese people when you were in some Vietnamese airport 

[radiochaser]

6 minutes ago, KhunLA said:

Yes it is, and choose your contractor wisely.  Especially with the high winds in Thailand.  We had full length & half wall plate (9mm) glass installed.  Excellent job by our contractor.

That is one nice looking house!  Is the top floor open for breezes?  

[BritManToo]

6 minutes ago, Mac Mickmanus said:

Covid, don't forget you caught Covid ?

You caught it from some Chinese people when you were in some Vietnamese airport 

I was untested, if I post I caught COVID on this forum I get banned for spreading misinformation.

[Lacessit]

3 hours ago, BritManToo said:

I had NO vaccinations when I came to Thailand.

14 years later, I've caught nothing.

No polio, typhoid, hepatitis, tetanus?

[RafPinto]

On 6/27/2022 at 1:10 AM, timendres said:

25 years actually ^_^

I have the same problem when my sons tell me about prices they pay in the US.

I say "That is absurdly expensive".

Then they remind me that I have not seen US prices for over 12 years.

The price of an average car is now more than I paid for my first house!

I know.

[radiochaser]

1 minute ago, Mac Mickmanus said:

Covid, don't forget you caught Covid ?

You caught it from some Chinese people when you were in some Vietnamese airport 

I had covid.   Didn't know it was at the time.  Doctor told me that I didn't have the flu and I didn't have strep throat, he didn't know what I had.  A week or so later, I lost all sense of taste.  It was horrible.   I had a huge bag of M&M peanuts and couldn't taste the chocolate in them!!  Then a few weeks later I was vaccinated with Moderna so I could travel to Thailand.   Even later, I find out one of the symptoms of covid is loss of taste.  

On the other hand, I had a lot of difficulty breathing, some of that might have been due to my COPD, and I think that my rescue inhaler helped me so much that I was able to live an almost normal life 

Albuterol inhalers can be purchased over the counter in Thailand.  I prefer to buy Albuterol inhalers at Boots when I am in Thailand, because they are air conditioned.  I had to use mine every 2 to 4 hours but it really did help me a lot!! 

[4MyEgo]

51 minutes ago, radiochaser said:

Darn, I am paying 63,565 Baht a month for the mortgage on  my house here in the U.S.  and that is because I am paying an additional 17,657 baht a month more to the principle of the loan.   

A new RAM pickup truck would cost me more than what I owe on the house now after 16 years.  Last time I priced a RAM, earlier this year, the truck I was interested in cost 2,472,471 baht.   I would rather fix the one I have if it breaks down!

 

Wow, what you pay in mortgage repayments is what it costs me to survive here with a family of 4 all up, that includes everything, except holidays.

Back in Sydney prior to retiring here it cost me and the wife with 2 kids double that at that time, no doubt heaps more now.

 

I have a 6 1/2 year old pick up, still drives like new with over 200,000 clicks on it, could upgrade, but no need, will drive it till it starts to fall apart, but this gem only costs me oil changes every 15,000 clicks and new tyres every 80,000 clicks, haven't even changed the brakes on it yet.

 

Mortgages are good if your looking to sell eventually and use that money to survive elsewhere, otherwise, it's dead money for a roof over your head as far as I'm concerned, and leaving it for the kids, yeh, well, each to their own. 

 

Mortgage none, cost to build a 320 square metre single level palace, 2 million baht.

 

[radiochaser]

12 minutes ago, BritManToo said:

I was untested, if I post I caught COVID on this forum I get banned for spreading misinformation.

Uh oh!   I just posted I had covid and the doctor didn't know what I had!

[RafPinto]

6 hours ago, radiochaser said:

Wife and I want to build a custom designed house.   Original estimate 1 1/2 years ago, $350,000.00.   Now, after covid and other issues, $750,000.00!

Should have build 2.

[radiochaser]

2 minutes ago, 4MyEgo said:

Wow, what you pay in mortgage repayments is what it costs me to survive here with a family of 4 all up, that includes everything, except holidays.

Back in Sydney prior to retiring here it cost me and the wife with 2 kids double that at that time, no doubt heaps more now.

 

I have a 6 1/2 year old pick up, still drive like new with over 200,000 clicks on it, could upgrade, but no need, will drive it till it starts to fall apart, but this gem only costs me oil changes every 15,000 clicks and new tyres every 80,000 clicks, haven't even changed the brakes on it yet.

 

Mortgages are good if your looking to sell eventually and use that money to survive elsewhere, otherwise, it's dead money for a roof over your head as far as I'm concerned, and leaving it for the kids, yeh, well, each to their own. 

 

Mortgage none, cost to build a 320 square metre single level palace, 2 million baht.

Yeah, I know about how much less expensive it is there.   After I retired, my wife and I went to Thailand.   She had to return to run her restaurant and I stayed for 3 months.   She thought I was going to need more than $2000.00 a month to live there.  Left me with $8000.00 U.S.   

I gave more money to relatives  in Thailand than I spent on my self.  Those relatives are now living in the U.S., all but one are American citizens.   But, the most I spent on myself was less than $900.00 in the last month, about $600.00 and $700.00 for the other two months.   I also paid for everything I needed there and everything I wanted.   

I didn't have to play rent, but I was paying more than $100.00 a month for electric bills due to air conditioning.   I could have stayed very close to where I was living in an apartment that was better than the free apartment and cost less than $200.00 a month rent.   

My wife threatened to send me back to Thailand after she found out how much I spent.   At first she claimed I didn't spend so little, but she knew how much money I gave to relatives and then she counted the money I brought back and believed me.   I spend a heck of a lot more money here in the U.S. than I do in Thailand.   Right now, other than the joy of my grandkids, I have think I can live a better, more enjoyable life in Thailand!

[KhunLA]

29 minutes ago, radiochaser said:

That is one nice looking house!  Is the top floor open for breezes?  

THANKS ... Yes, completely open, and built to supported a finished second floor (160m²) , if we needed.   JIC the daughter came home unexpectedly with a wee unplanned little one.   Thankfully didn't need.  Total was 400+ m² under roof, with 220m² walled, not counting out structures.  House itself was contracted ฿1.7 mill, 2011.  So quite the bargain, and good construction.

 

[radiochaser]

1 minute ago, RafPinto said:

Should have build 2.

All kinds of hoops to jump through to get the house built on the lot  she bought.   All the way from the local government that owns the trash pickup containers, to the county, up to offices of the state environmental agency and I just found out, a U.S. government environmental agency!

[radiochaser]

5 minutes ago, KhunLA said:

THANKS ... Yes, completely open, and built to supported a finished second floor (160m²) , if we needed.   JIC the daughter came home unexpectedly with a wee unplanned little one.   Thankfully didn't need.  Total was 400+ m² under roof, with 220m² walled, not counting out structures.  House itself was contracted ฿1.7 mill, 2011.  So quite the bargain, and good construction.

 

You got a nice looking place.   Who cuts your grass?  LOL.   I am at the point, I hate doing it and I have a riding mower!  I would pay someone in Thailand to do it.  

If we build a place in Thailand, then I would have a machine shop separate from the main house, for my hobby work.  My wife wants my shop out of the garage!

[KhunLA]

9 minutes ago, radiochaser said:

You got a nice looking place.   Who cuts your grass?  LOL.   I am at the point, I hate doing it and I have a riding mower!  I would pay someone in Thailand to do it.  

I used to, and yes, 2 rai, a bit much.  Sold that house late 2020, and new house is smaller 120 m² and sits on 1/4 rai ... ????  Downsized big time, and no pool.

[4MyEgo]

8 minutes ago, radiochaser said:

I spend a heck of a lot more money here in the U.S. than I do in Thailand. 

That is a given.

 

You know what I find odd about the Australian government is, if you live overseas before you get the age pension, you cannot apply for it from overseas, you have to return to Oz, apply for it and once approved, receive it, but you cannot receive payments overseas until you have been there for two years, try it and they will cut your pension.

 

To add to that, if you keep a property back in Oz and move overseas, (create your new abode) they will charge you $0.32c per dollar tax on the rent, not allow you to claim any expenses on the property, and hit you with the highest tax level 42% when you sell it, dated all the way back to the very 1st day you purchased it, now that would be a heck of a lot of tax.

 

You will also be stopped from voting, i.e. you will have no voice and Medicare gets cancelled after you have been away for a certain period of time.

 

Banks will cancel your account if they know you have an overseas address as well, you cannot renew your drivers licence from overseas either, must be in person in some states, mine expired in August, cost to renew it for 5 years is 4,750 baht vs my Thai drivers licence for 300 baht same period, so who loses, I can drive in Australia on my Thai drivers licence for a few months, so f em. 

 

I would think all of the above is a deterrent to stop people from moving overseas, if not, how about if you earn an income outside of Australia, yep, they will want a slice of that too.

 

Now if one does a little research, no need to hold two degrees, they can play the system, pay no tax on their investments and keep Medicare while living overseas.

 

The Australian government may love it's citizens so much that they don't want to lose them, but for me, it's not rocket science that they are a draconian and totalitarian government, otherwise, why would a government go to such extreme measures to penalise those who have worked all their lives to live a better life abroad ?

[Old Croc]

19 hours ago, Lacessit said:

It was a joke, Joyce. Given the way you have reacted, best I put you on ignore now.

One way to avoid a follow-up, Karen.

[Kwasaki]

I enjoyed my expensive breakfast at home today,  2 slices of thick wholewheat toasted bread from

7-11 cost 8 baht each, bit of spread type butter, whole can of mackerel in sauce with a sprinkle of black pepper,  3 in 1 coffee, works out about all in 45 baht. ????

[ThailandRyan]

10 minutes ago, Kwasaki said:

I enjoyed my expensive breakfast at home today,  2 slices of thick wholewheat toasted bread from

7-11 cost 8 baht each, bit of spread type butter, whole can of mackerel in sauce with a sprinkle of black pepper,  3 in 1 coffee, works out about all in 45 baht. ????

Homemade Larb Moo with cucumber slices, kiwis and blueberries, with a nice brewed pot of dark roast coffe bought from Makro....price 160 baht for each the GF and I. Now having a light snack of TGM thick sliced pepperoni and a Schweppes Minao Soda.....spend it if you have it no need to be frugal.

[Kwasaki]

2 minutes ago, ThailandRyan said:

Homemade Larb Moo with cucumber slices, kiwis and blueberries, with a nice brewed pot of dark roast coffe bought from Makro....price 160 baht for each the GF and I. Now having a light snack of TGM thick sliced pepperoni and a Schweppes Minao Soda.....spend it if you have it no need to be frugal.

Pang Muck. ????

[Madgee]

On 6/26/2022 at 11:36 PM, Kwasaki said:

Haven't seen or noticed much increases in costs apart from fuel and bread.

Vegetarian are we? ????
Pork and chicken have seen huge increases in the last few months especially chicken in the last 3 months. I cook most of the meals for my family, whether it be Thai or Western cuisine as they're out working so I buy the food! Within the last year chicken breasts have gone from about B45 kg to over B100 kg in Big C yesterday.  

[spidermike007]

3 hours ago, KhunLA said:

Yes it is, and choose your contractor wisely.  Especially with the high winds in Thailand.  We had full length & half wall plate (9mm) glass installed.  Excellent job by our contractor.

Looks like about an $18, 000 to $25,000 job in the US. 

[Hummin]

12 minutes ago, Madgee said:

Vegetarian are we? ????
Pork and chicken have seen huge increases in the last few months especially chicken in the last 3 months. I cook most of the meals for my family, whether it be Thai or Western cuisine as they're out working so I buy the food! Within the last year chicken breasts have gone from about B45 kg to over B100 kg in Big C yesterday.  

Modt do not shopping and do not know what food cost, but they might know the beer prices if you ask them ???? Have beer prices gone up as much as food? 

[KhunLA]

10 minutes ago, Madgee said:

Vegetarian are we? ????
Pork and chicken have seen huge increases in the last few months especially chicken in the last 3 months. I cook most of the meals for my family, whether it be Thai or Western cuisine as they're out working so I buy the food! Within the last year chicken breasts have gone from about B45 kg to over B100 kg in Big C yesterday.  

You're paying way too much.  Most expensive chicken I notice at Makro the other day was 84 baht (60-84)

 

Actually took notice of some prices, since a posting last week of someone stating chicken was 167 and flour was 69 or abouts.

 

Chicken ... not, and flour was 40 baht, from 33 over 5 yr period.  Dairy hasn't changed, actually milk on sale 79, beef hasn't changed much, if at all, Pork up a bit, was silly priced for a while, nobody bought, so it came back down????, still a bit high.  Eggs about the same.  

 

Beer, wine & spirits were the same (7-11 / Makro), still no Kopper????

Prices in the bakery dept, all about the same.  Didn't peek at seafood.

 

Most everything else, and nothing shocked me, and 10 ish % over last time, since I took notice.  If that, and would think expected with high diesel cost.

 

Don't know where y'all shop with some of these silly price being quoted, but y'all need to go elsewhere.

[KhunLA]

1 minute ago, spidermike007 said:

Looks like about an $18, 000 to $25,000 job in the US. 

Glass was 95k & 5k for tinting / 2011,

contracted to glass distributor.

 

Roof was 300k, and contracted to builder's brother. 

All included in the 1.7 mill quote.

 

Granite counter w/some western comforts in kitchen

And ensuite bath ... no need to pay silly prices for quality build.

10-15-even 20k per m² ... any higher is just silly.

 

 

[Kwasaki]

2 hours ago, Madgee said:

Vegetarian are we? ????
Pork and chicken have seen huge increases in the last few months especially chicken in the last 3 months. I cook most of the meals for my family, whether it be Thai or Western cuisine as they're out working so I buy the food! Within the last year chicken breasts have gone from about B45 kg to over B100 kg in Big C yesterday.  

The family breed there own chickens to eat and sell chickens to buy Pork from the local village market that's there economics.

 

I don't cook, I do toast, make a sandwich, heat food in a microwave that about it. ????

[The Hammer2021]

"Why do people move to Thailand and Complain How Much Things Cost?"

Most people don't in any particular  numbers. Rising prices is a valid conversation point all round the world and is not that common  among newly arrived expats.

Why do people complain about anything? Because they are concerned.

Many people move  to Thailand  and comment how cheap things are.

[KanchanaburiGuy]

My wife and I own a small hotel. 14 rooms in Lat Ya, about 20 km north of downtown Kanchanaburi. 

 

We have a woman who comes in to clean the rooms, do laundry, and do assorted other chores.

 

Since we are not yet back to our pre-Covid volume, there frequently isn't a full day's work to do. But this is good! Because my wife has recently been saying "I'm boring food; I'm boring cooking!" So we've been letting Jaep do some of the cooking for us, to give my wife a break. She's a good cook; almost as good as my wife.

 

What I haven't had the heart to remind my money-cautious wife is............

 

We're paying this nice woman 150 to 200 baht a day (a portion of her daily wage as our "hotel housekeeper") to cook for us............ using our own groceries.......... to make food we could buy freshly made up the road, for 45 or 50  baht a plate!

 

Now, I don't mind, of course. My wife is getting the break she wants; I'm getting the food I want; Jaep enjoys the cooking a lot more than the cleaning, so it's a nice change-of-pace for her; and we'd be paying her those wages, regardless. So it's A-Okay..........as long as we have impressively clean rooms to rent, and clean towels and sheets to use when we need them!

 

Sure, sometimes prices are worth complaining about. But sometimes, it's just better to........ not!

 

Jaep deserves it............... whether we technically need that part of what she's does for us, or not. 

 

 

 

 

 

[it is what it is]

59 minutes ago, KanchanaburiGuy said:

My wife and I own a small hotel. 14 rooms in Lat Ya, about 20 km north of downtown Kanchanaburi. 

 

We have a woman who comes in to clean the rooms, do laundry, and do assorted other chores.

 

Since we are not yet back to our pre-Covid volume, there frequently isn't a full day's work to do. But this is good! Because my wife has recently been saying "I'm boring food; I'm boring cooking!" So we've been letting Jaep do some of the cooking for us, to give my wife a break. She's a good cook; almost as good as my wife.

 

What I haven't had the heart to remind my money-cautious wife is............

 

We're paying this nice woman 150 to 200 baht a day (a portion of her daily wage as our "hotel housekeeper") to cook for us............ using our own groceries.......... to make food we could buy freshly made up the road, for 45 or 50  baht a plate!

 

Now, I don't mind, of course. My wife is getting the break she wants; I'm getting the food I want; Jaep enjoys the cooking a lot more than the cleaning, so it's a nice change-of-pace for her; and we'd be paying her those wages, regardless. So it's A-Okay..........as long as we have impressively clean rooms to rent, and clean towels and sheets to use when we need them!

 

Sure, sometimes prices are worth complaining about. But sometimes, it's just better to........ not!

 

Jaep deserves it............... whether we technically need that part of what she's does for us, or not. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

sounds like a good idea to relieve your wife of cooking duties and put her on studying english duties ????

[Scott]

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